Bad Koni(s)

[Jay Negrin <jmnegrin@domain.elided>]

Just a comment on a series of noises from the front of my Alfetta -

There were a number of clinks, rattles, and miscelaneous noises I had noticed
coming from the front end of Al Feta, my 76 GT.  I had several people and club
members opine that various bushing and/or ball joints were to blame.  I hate
it when everyone is right.  Whew!!  Got that/those done.  Another noise, a
definte clunk, speed and bump related were still present.  Needed help to find
this one now.  My high-opressure gas-charged Koni dampers were to blame. 
Although about 5 years old, they had low mileage.  Seems all or most of that
high pressure gas leaked out.  

Here comes the education part.  Konis have a lifetime warranty, as long as you
can prove that you are the original purchasers of said shocks/dampers. OUCH!
Seems that much of the documentation on the work done on my car was in the
garage when I had the fire a couple of years ago.  Mostly water damage, which
is what I suspect happened to the receipt. DAMN.

And now the bad news:  Koni no longer makes that particular model shock for
the Alfetta.  Oh Drat.  I talked with the folks at Koni US, and they are,
kindly, shipping a pair of existing stock fronts.  The rears are NLA.  If they
let go, I will have to re-think the whole thing.  Hmmmm.  In all the years I
have been running Konis onmy cars (and this goes back to the late 60's with my
Cortina) I have never had a Koni give it up prematurely.  First time for
everything, I guess.

Jay Negrin
ARO Southern Calfornia

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